Join us Wednesday, February 21st for our Palate Training class that will on ways we can best introduce new foods and flavors to baby.

Here are a few helpful tips:

The best time of day to introduce new foods is in the morning. Everyone is fresher at the beginning of the day (baby and parent), so it makes sense to offer up something new when we know everyone will be in good spirits (and more likely to accept something new).
Try, try again. Remember your baby will need to try each new food and flavor combinations several times – sometimes up to 12 times – before they accept and enjoy it.

Pair a new food with old favorites to increase the chances of a successful introduction.

Monkey see monkey do! Remember to model good eating habits yourself. If you want your baby to eat avocados, make sure they see you eating them as well!

Use all the senses whenever possible. Palate training should always involve all the senses: smelling herbs and spices you plan to use in a dish (smell), let your baby play with their food and when older, they can help you prepare a dish (touch) and use gorgeous, vibrant colors (sight) to catch your baby’s attention. All of these senses go hand-in-hand with taste. The more senses you use to introduce a new food, the more likely your baby is to love it.

Go shopping! Bring baby with you to the grocery store or green market and involve them in the shopping process as much as possible. If they help pick out bananas, sweet potatoes or celeriac with you, they are much more likely to try and enjoy the food when prepared.